1 Feb 2024: Six German News Stories

 1  What is the newly created Democratic Alliance for Diversity and Awakening Party (DAVA) in Germany?

Well...President Erdogan of Turkey has decided to form a party within Germany....primarily designed for Turks in Germany....to vote in the EU election in 4 months, and to be a device for entry into the Bundestag (fed election in the fall of 2025).

Around 3-million Turks in Germany have citizenship....with another 1.5-million figured to gain citizenship by the end of 2024.   

The percentage of them who'd go and vote for DAVA?  Unknown.  If I were to take an educated guess....going into the EU election?  Probably around 1.5-million votes.  Enough to get 5 seats in the EU. 

But if  you ask for the fall of 2025 German federal election?  I'd guess in the 2-million range....enough to get 35 to 40 seats.  It'd also subtract seats somewhere down the line from the CDU/CSU, SPD and Greens.

The DAVA folks voicing positions that Erdogan would select?  Yeah, and it'll irk the Germans a bit.  Chatter going on?  Well....some are saying DAVA will be the Turkish version of AfD...very right-wing-like.

2.  2.8-million Germans without a job (data release from yesterday).  84-million in population.  

3.  WELT had a piece talking over the cost of railway/bus tickets, and how the trend is escalating on cost.  Just the way it reads....this monthly 49-Euro ticket has to escalate in January 2025....probably more than 59-Euro.

4.  All flights for Berlin BER airport to be cancelled for Thursday because of the strike.

5.  All local bus/train/subway operations for Berlin....cancelled for Friday.  Strike for more pay.

6.  Just odd....I read through a piece (page 4 material) that Japan and Germany have spent months working on a new military agreement, and this week...finalized it.

Basic terms?  There's some exchange of supplies between Japanese and German militaries. 

Folks reacting with 1930s type chatter?  Well....yeah.

The fact that Germany went beyond France, Spain, or the UK?  Yeah....that idea does come up.  

Just Curious

 In recent weeks, if you follow Brit and German news....the idea of Russia invading the Isle or Europe....has come up.  'War-chatter' is what I'd call it.

So last week, the topic came up in the UK that maybe a sudden recruitment of men (ages 18 to 60) came up.  Some propaganda piece has suggested that it might be necessary.

Over the weekend....someone went around London and asked men over their opinion, and oddly....about 50-percent of them interviewed...came to say that they'd be willing to fight,  but not exactly for the Isle.  Yeah, they said they'd volunteer to side with Putin and take down the Brit government.

I sat and pondered over this.

First, no one said where these interviews took place and if they were in a pub....the odds that these guys were drunk....is like a 99-percent chance.

Second, most Brit guys would not have taken the talk serious. 

Third and something to reflect upon....there is such negativity in England at present over the London establishment and police....that some folks might think a regime-change would be positive.

But, to take this a step further....what if Putin read the piece and pushed the KGB into organizing for recruitment in the UK,  and had 20,000 pro-Russia Brits lined up to be the invading force?  

It's an odd story and just makes you wonder the truth-value behind it.

31 Jan 2024: Twelve German News Stories

 1.  In June, nationally across Germany....if you are a asylum-player....you will get your monthly 'allowance' by a chipped money-card....meaning you have to swipe at the grocery to use your funds.  

Whether this will influence or change the attitude of asylum folks to leave and find a better country?  Unknown.

Test phase in Germany has proven over half of the folks who were getting payments into a bank account (cash use)....absolutely did not want the money-card.

2.  Some odd arctic front moving into Germany in about two weeks....bringing more snow.

3.  New poll done....three parties at less-than-5-percent: Linke, BSW, FDP and Free Voters.  If a federal election were held....none would hold seats in the Bundestag.

4.  25,000 airport employees around Germany to strike on Thursday.  Just guessing.....most all flights likely to be cancelled.

5.  German Health Ministry has come out and said 'NO', it will not pay for weight-loss gimmick with the new injection method.

6.  TV show on ZDF for 19 years...'The Public Prosecutor'....to finally end.  Star on the show is turning 74, and has said 'enough'.  Series set in Wiesbaden.  

7.  The EU has come out and said that there will be language-and-gender rules in the future (regulation is coming).

So the words which they are aiming to forbid?  'No man's land' is among the listed.    I asked my German wife on this, and there is a translation in German for the phrase....but she kinda admitted....maybe in her entire life, she's used that term twice.

Success for the EU in regulating German?  Good luck buddy....if the Duden people say 'no', then this is a wasted effort.  

8.  WELT says that the vast number of ATM blow-up situations across Germany....generally ALL lead back to the Netherlands.  At least the German police are now saying this.  Organized crime unit?  It would appear so.

9.  WELT had a health report....coming from a Brit research team....suggesting that it's possible that Alzheimer's....might be transmittable.  That will scare the crap out of people....if proven true.

10.  Just odd....construction halt for 2 x Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) terminals up around Hamburg....over President Biden's major climate change strategy....saying it's dangerous.  

Amount in the pot to be spent?  6.5-billion Euro. 

If this continues and dissolves....yeah, there's a serious shortage of natural gas in Germany for next winter.  

11. Farmers to be blocking traffic  on Wednesday...in another demonstration  effort.

12. South of the river in Frankfurt last night (Tuesday)....some guy went nuts on the street and was attacking people.  Police were called.  They arrived and attempted to calm the guy down....things went 'south', and they ended up shooting the guy as he rushed them. Died on the way to the hospital.  No motivation noted.  Just guessing but likely to be some drugged-up situation.

30 Jan 2024: Five German News Stories

 1.  The Bundesbank of Germany says that they were estimating on the low side about how many counterfeit 200 and 500 Euro bills are floating around the country.

In their updated statement yesterday....they used the 'significantly more' comment.

To be honest.....I've never held a 500 Euro bill ever, and it's been 15 years since I held a 200 Euro bill.  They stopped production of the 500 Euro bill in 2019 (mostly to lessen counterfeiting).  

2. There's around 163,000 Germans who retired in the GDR era (prior to 1990, East  Germany), who are in serious economic times, and have applied for gov't relief.  

3.  Last Generation activists made a statement yesterday....saying glue-episodes on streets are ended.  2024 strategy will be 'disobedience'.  They hope to get crowds to gather and fall under their umbrella.  I have no idea what disobedience might involve.

4.  New format for ARD's public forum show (Monday evening)....'Hart Aber Fair'.  Topic for the forum?  "Anger, protests, new parties: who still holds our country together?"

So they brought on Sahra Wagenknecht (new party boss of BSW) along with a representative from both the SPD, and CDU.

Then as a guest, they brought out a hairdresser, who seemed pretty bright and condemned continuing political bickering and marginal achievements.  

On entertaining....yeah, renovation efforts for the show might have improved.  The hairdresser was right on 'dumping' on the politicians.  

5.  Finally, via the Jungle-Camp show on RTL....yeah, I do watch it....they tossed out the retired German soccer player.  His parting comment to the remaining crew....you guys are showing too much butt.

The show always has a lot of bickering and insults.  This year...there's at least four females who've gone to giving a fair amount of  'view'.  

Russia BS Story

 I saw this in the AM today....BILD newspaper piece.  I'm not really of the mind that it is completely true.

First, I do agree....lot of fear-porn going on with TV news and social media. 

If you bring up Putin in any setting....working-class Germans have a pretty negative opinion, and consider him a threat.

Second, on stocking up?  No....I see no evidence of this. My wife (German  in nature) does have a pantry for 'extra' food, but she's been on this binge for a dozen years.

Third, if an attack did occur....does the German Bundeswehr have enough bullets to last more than a week?  I doubt it.  Those years of Merkel trimming the military budget has a consequence.

So no, I don't see this as real news.  It's mostly an opinion piece (I won't say fake news but it's going in that direction).  

29 Jan 2024: Five German News Stories

 1.  Just an odd Sunday evening on German TV...ARTE channel carried a 1937 Cary Grant movie...prime-time.  I think if anyone ever starts a oldies network in Germany....with just stuff made prior to 1970s....it'd ramp up and take off with viewers.

2.  I noticed off some German science page....there's been a study done to show that paper straws (remember, they mandated an end to plastic straws in Germany).....have more toxic crap in them....than plastic straws.  Some kind of 'forever-chemicals' crap.

More or less, in the end....I think Germans will be told to cut out all straws and sip like Americans.

3.  KaDeWe, the BIG shop in Berlin....is apparently bankrupt (likely to be finished off), unless the gov't comes in with cash.

If you've never been to Berlin....this is the giant-Macys-like shop.  The  wife and I spent two hours walking around the store on one visit.  

4.  The CDU Party (right-of-enter) has made a statement this weekend that once they win in 2025 federal election....they will be dumping 'Burgergeld' (the current citizen's money or welfare program).  

If you go around working-class Germans....they generally believe way too many folks are lazy and not making an effort to find work. 

I would counter this and simply say that the Burgergeld folks got side-tracked in their youth, and failed to get a occupational skillcraft achieved.  So when they get unemployed around age 30....no one has real interest in hiring them.  You could resolve fifty-percent of the negativity or problem....if you just forced people into a no-choice situation.  

The odds that Burgergeld goes completely away?  Zero.

5.  Lot of Germans whining going on with RTL's (commercial TV) Jungle-Camp show.  This year...RTL went out and  bought broadcasting rights to NFL games.  So in the prioritization business....NFL wins out over Jungle-Camp.  Fair amount of video which would be aired....isn't.

I would imagine that Jungle-Camp for 2025 will be moved to some period after the Super Bowl.

This Russia Disinformation Effort In Germany

Analysts from the German Foreign Ministry (oddly not the BND....Germany's CIA folks)...have come to say that they found this massive pro-Russia/anti-Ukraine disinformation campaign existing.  

Key element?  Thousands of fake accounts on Twitter.

What they say is that they only examined this phenonium from 20 December, 2023 to 20 January, 2024....a one-month period.  Their take on fake accounts?  They say it's in the range of 50,000 accounts, and that it's primarily a German-language effort to sell the Putin image/brand of the attack of Ukraine.

I sit and review a fair amount of 'news' (both real and fake) off Twitter daily.  The propaganda BS is obviously there....both from fake sources and even occasionally from what you'd consider legit sources.  So you have to pay attention.   

As for managing a fake account empire?  If you did a fair amount of cut-and-paste....one guy could probably run a couple hundred accounts, but it'd mean a lot of same expressions/words.  So you'd probably need to have no more than a hundred accounts to marginally hide the similarity of words....meaning 500 folks  hired to lure folks via Twitter feed. 

The question left?  It might be curious to know what you get paid to run a 500-fake account 'farm' to spout off pro-Putin BS for Germans to consume.

Will the Germans now react....creating 50,000 fake Twitter accounts to create anti-Putin chatter? 

28 Jan 2024: Eight German News Stories

 1.  Bahn strike (railway system)?  Well....it was supposed to end on Tuesday night.  News last night said the strike will end Sunday evening (things will start back on operation at 2 AM Monday).  

2.  Germany has come to admit that some UN relief group in Gaza....was part of the 7 October business....forcing the Germans to react yesterday....halting all support for this UN organization.  This was hyped-up last night on both the ARD/ZDF evening news pieces.  

3.  The husband of Sahra Wagenknecht (political boss of the new BWS Party)....(Lafontane)....made a speech, and noted that the party is absolutely 'left' on the political spectrum, and having nothing to do with conservatives.  Some of the original packaging and hyping for the party......was that it wasn't going to be 'left' or 'right'.  

I would strongly speculate that BWS in the fall 2025 federal election....doesn't go past 7-percent vote.

4.  Jurgen Klopp...the legendary soccer coach for Liverpool....has announced he's in a year of 'rest' (leaving Liverpool) and returning to Wiesbaden to quietly reassess things.

On strategist skills and coaching talents....he's probably one of the three best  soccer coaches in Europe today.     Some think he's going to end up as the German national soccer team 'boss' in the summer of 2025.  

Note: Klopp used to coach the Mainz team and is fairly legendary around Mainz/Wiesbaden.

5.  About a year ago....all of the new property tax submissions (by property owners across Germany) were supposed to be done.  This is to fill in the 'blanks' and give cities/states the final details for the property tax.  All total?  36-million properties across Germany.  Starting in 2025...the new tax scheme would be working.

Well....there's  an issue....1-million owners failed to react.

What I'll say about this....it was in a general digital App, and it was crappy in design.  My wife spent around three hours trying to input just 10 digital fields of information. It simply did not work by the design.  After a week of talking to various people....she came to realize the instructions were incorrect.  She went back to the App, and the effort took less than ten minutes.  

My humble guess is that these one-million private citizens either are non-computer  users, or just infuriated with the crappy way the App was designed.  

What'll  happen now?  I would assume each district tax office will have to go out and chat with individual owners.  Some might be invalids and require special help.  Some might be out of the country.   

5.  This President Biden episode with the LNG (Liquid Natural Gas) about to screw Germany over?

Well....to lay this out.  The primary source for natural gas in Germany was Russia, but when the war started....Germany took the position that they couldn't support Russia.  This created a massive emergency two years ago.

The 'fix' developed was use of LNG ships to bring gas from two chief sources (Qatar and the US).  They were the only ones seriously into LNG transport.

So Biden has come out in recent days to freeze the LNG ports....say it might be environmentally 'bad' to ship around LNG, and he wants more research.  

Yeah, things are stack heavily against Germany with this delay and suggestion of being environmentally 'bad'.

The curious thing?  LNG shipping technology has been around for over a decade.  Tons of money has been spent on the development of ports and ships.  So it's odd to stand up ten years into this and get all hyped-up.

The odds that Russia paid some lobby group to sell this 'evil' idea?  Well....if Germany can't arrange more LNG shipping (only Qatar in the mix)....then they will be forced back to Russia.  So I would be betting....this US decision has some Russian players involved.

6.  For years, if you got a traffic ticket that involved 'points' (meaning a loss of your license for months....maybe even a year)....there was this little avenue where you got the ticket and could say someone was using your car (meaning they were responsible for the ticket).

In this effort, you'd pay some guy to admit this, and he took the point-punishment.  Yeah, it's a pretty weird thing but it does occur.

Cost factor?  Usually in the 300 to 400 Euro range for a 1-point ticket.

So the German authorizes are peeved that this service exists.  They are now trying to figure out a way to halt the practice.

7.  WELT piece this Sunday worth reading.  Title: 'the Thin-Skinned and Exhausted Society'.....by Celine Lauer.  Worth a read if you can find the paper.

Jest?  Well....in the minds of a number of Germans....the Covid era has never ended.  So these people are still in crisis mood.  

I would agree with this.  Proper distancing....the 1-meter rule?  I still observe it.   If you asked me about masks...I don't wear them ever, but I still have masks in the car, and keep one in my jacket.

What Lauer suggests is that society is now more distrustful than what we were before Covid. I might agree.

8.   Focus (the news magazine) published a curious report over ARD/ZDF (public TV) retirement pensions for employees.  So what they get at....the whole budget process is out of control and will be a massive problem to cover in the future.

A fair number of folks want public TV to enter a reform period,  and downsize.  This is probably going to be the 'hammer' to arrange for this 'fix'.  

Some Travel Advice

 Back in late September....I ended up on a package tour to the western coast of  Spain.  I typically avoid package tours (first one in 20 years).  Some words over the deal:

1.  This was a Hipotel in Playa la Barrosa....direct on the beach....4-stars.  Everything in the advertising....was completely true.  

2.  You don't want to really go in July/August (way too hot).  I'd advise either  May/June or Sep/Oct.  By too hot?  I mean 40-to-45 C.  Spring or fall...max temperature stayed near 31 C, and zero rain for the two weeks.  

3.  Pricing?  With  airfare, bus-shuttle, train to Frankfurt/back, hotel, two weeks, with breakfast and dinner....with a average room....2,800 Euro (per person). My only grumbling  was the drink charges....probably around 450 Euro for two.....for all water, cocktails and wine consumed.  The 'free' water they gave you each day (1 x bottle) has a funny taste....so you probably will want to venture over to the local  grocery and buy better quality water there.   Note, for breakfast....'free' water was offered (drink as much as possible).  

4.  Adults-only situation.  Meaning?  No kids.  Yeah, it was ultra quiet.  I'll admit that 90-percent of customers were Germans and between 60 and 80 years old.

5.  If  you walked out to the beach (8 min walk)....turning left or right....you could walk 5 km in either direction...with it being absolutely safe.

6.  On breakfast or dinner buffet?  I'd give four-stars and was surprised at the quality of both offerings. For an American....you had plenty of choices, and the nightly desert 'bar' always had a dozen choices.

7.  On tour packages....you usually get stuck with a vacation airline (this was Discover Airways) and a odd time to leave out of Frankfurt (07:30 AM).  They were OK, but just about everything they offered once they took off....had a price-tag attached.  I would offer the advice....do the pre-ticket business  and go over the night before to turn your bag in.  

8.  Optional day-trips?  There's maybe six things or cities to visit.  Getting to any of these....figure a minimum of 90 minutes to 3 hours by bus.  Seville is the big pick, as far I'm concerned.

9.  They did offer nightly entertainment.....just don't go expecting much.  There is a gym and a indoor pool.

10.  As packages go.....they fulfilled the obligation.  Beach towels on the shelf of the room as you check-in and you can exchange each day if desired.

After two or three failed package tours in the 1990s....I got pretty negative.  One ended up with a hotel resort that was split 50-percent Brits and 50-percent Germans.  I'll just say the argument and nightly comedies were interesting to watch.

On one cruise....where it was 75-percent Brit senior citizens and 25-percent Germans, I sat and observed some divorced Brit couple....both having booked, and the husband (early 60s) showing up with some youthful new gal (early 30s) and the ex-wife kept the crowd entertained as she noted his various failings. 

So I'll just say....if you wanted 14 days of pure sunshine, no stress, and everything in a 'tidy' package deal....this deal via TUI might be worth investigating.  Also, on picking the room....pick the choices with the windows facing the ocean (sunsets are worth the extra cost).  

The Cash-Card Dilemma For Migrants

 There's an experimental program going on in Germany (just into a couple hundred folks)....where if you arrive and get inprocessed as a migrant, with a temp-visa....they still give you food-money (monthly allowance)....but it's not a cash thing anymore.  The experiment is.....a cash-card (ATM-type card, with Visa).  

Well....various people had opinions of how this would work and it seems that migrants (more than half of those 'herded' toward this) aren't readily accepting this.

The chief problem?  The card is designed for regular grocery use (like normal grocery stores in Germany).  You can use it at bakeries and deli shops as well.  What you can't use it for?  Well....booze for example. If you wanted cannabis or illicit drugs?  No....your dealer won't accept the card.

My wife (German in nature) and I got into a discussion last night about this.

She voiced the idea that most migrants appearing country (certainly not all of them)....were mostly male, and between the ages of 18 and 25.  If you handed them a card loaded with 500 Euro for food....they'd shake their heads because there's no cash for drug use, and the card can't be used for beer, wine or hard alcohol. 

I countered....well....folks don't come to Germany for booze or drugs as a priority (me, being the practical American).  I'll admit....American GI's since the 1950s....have hyped the legend of Germany....being the premier beer-capital of the world.  

What the journalists don't tell you....out of the 25-percent who do accept the card....are they mostly women or family units?  If ALL of the accepting folks were families or single females....there would be a massive story to lay out and tell people.  

But I doubt that you'd want to admit....the bulk of migrants being men....need, or want the cash option.....for fun-time.  

The remaining German states eyeballing this experiment and likely going to a cash-card by the end of 2024?  I would imagine by spring of 2025....all sixteen states will go this direction.  As for the consequence....suddenly the male population of migrants skipping Germany?  Well....you just wonder about that. 

Plan Chatter

The German Bundeswehr (Army) is writing up what I'd call a war-plan for the future....which elements of this were leaked out this past week.  The bulk of the plan (called “German Operational Plan”) will be made public in March.

I sat this morning and read the four 'pillars' of the focus.  They are:

1.  Guard against fake news and disinformation. 

The suggestion is that Russia would try to influence politics and public opinion in Germany. To be honest, this has been going on for seventy years....so there's  nothing much new.

2.  Guard against 'hacking' probably aimed at energy companies and telecommunications.

3.  Guard against spying.

4.  Guard against sabotage.  It was a wide topic....meaning electrical plants, bridges, communication targets, etc. 

To be honest, if you'd gone to the old West German military of the 1980s....it was probably identical to what they'd written down as threats.

The chief problems?  First, there's already so much fake news in the mix....I'm not sure if Russia came and introduced more....if people would really notice or be extra skeptical.

Second, there's already a ton of hacking going on.  Every week, there's probably a thousand Germans who have their banking/credit information hacked, or some company which has a twenty-thousand Euro 'pinched' out of their account. 

Third, there's already a ton of spying going on in the commercial world, and I'm pretty sure at least twenty-odd countries are spying already on Germany.

Fourth, there's so much aging and crappy craftsmanship going on in Germany....that I doubt people would notice the Russians involved in some type of sabotage. 

But, here's the thing....you'd really like to believe that the military is doing something....even if this is a cut-and-paste act from 1984......from a document to protect West Germany from East Germany.  Maybe there's still some folks still around to remember how all of this works.

The Brit Worry Of Conscription

 This week, if you follow Brit news....the hype of Russian invasion came up.  So the British government in some way....leaked a report that they don't have enough troops and the only way to 'save' Britain in this 'darkest-hour'....would be a massive conscription effort....bringing in all Brit males from ages 18 to age 60.

I sat and pondered over this BS story.

From my various trips to the UK....if you asked me over the health of Brit guys from age 40 to 60....I'd say that about 50-percent are hard drinking alcoholics, and probably three-quarters of the whole crowd are not in any condition to handle normal boot-camp.  

If this were to go forward?  They'd use the Russian method of ten days of boot-camp....issue a uniform or two....then advance the new troops to the front.  Boot-camp (Russian style) would mostly be a couple days of weapon practice, how to march, and some survival tips.  

This being BS?  I'd probably see the chatter and talk of a Russian invasion as being a joke.

Day one of the invasion would end with key invasion force of 10,000 Russians mostly still alive, but having found an abundance of booze....they'd mostly be drunk for the next seven days.

As the booze finally ran out....the war would shift....probably ending by day ten....while 500,000 British men were still in boot-camp.  Someone would write medal nominations for everyone, with the King handing out a thousand medals a day and shaking hands with everyone who participated. 

Three Interesting Facts From WW I

 1.  The total cost of reparations owed to the US, France and England, from Germany?

$33-billion (1921 set amount)....would amount to $602-billion today.  Roughly half of the money went to the US....the rest split between the UK and France. 

2.  Total population of Germany in 1914 was around 65-million (compared to 84-million today).  When the war ended in 1918....there were roughly 1.7-million military dead, with around 430,000 civilian deaths (flu, starvation, etc).  

3.  The trigger to WW I....the murder of Crown Prince Ferdinand....is a curious historical piece.  He was originally the third guy in line and would never have been Crown Prince.  Crown Prince Rudolf was the original guy....dying in 1889 (dying in a suicide pact with his 18-year old mistress).  The second Crown Prince was Karl Ludwig, who was on a trip to Egypt in 1896....drank crappy water, and got an infection which lingered for several months....eventually killing him.  

27 Jan 2024: Seven German News Stories

 1.  Bit shocking....German gov't admits in preparation for the budget for 2025 (a year away)....they are already around 20 billion Euro short.  

So yeah, there's going to be talks for months about this shortfall, and how someone has to take a 'cut'.

2.  ZDF (public TV, Channel 2) ran a public forum show Thursday night (Maybrit Illner Forum).  German Finance Minister (Lindner, FDP) was a guest....along with a master-baker.

So it came up....the master-baker said his operation is now pushed to the maximum.....there is no profit margin, and they are just in a survival situation.

3.  Bahn strike continues....just minor train movement going on.  Seems like a lot of frustrated Germans looking at both groups now.

4.  I noted off ARD news....since 1991, the number of German cigarettes' sold yearly has been cut almost in half. 

Course, if you bring this up with most German smokers....the tax business has been a major negative.  

5.  Odd survey out of the German state of Saxony.....public polled and two-thirds of them say they feel like they live in a thug-nation or dictatorship.  Trust in news media....slipping.

6.  Some kind of hostage situation developed in Ulm  last night.  What the cops say....a German Army guy came into a Starbucks...acted strange, and took a couple of hostages.  About an hour into this....he tries to escape with one hostage and cops shoot him (just wounded).  No speculation on motive.  I would make a humble guess....some kind of drug use.

7.  This LNG (Liquid Natural Gas) terminal operation in Texas....that was heavily hooked to Germany's future of sufficient natural gas?  Well....by Presidential order....it's shut down (appears to be two of them).  No one can say for sure how harsh this will be for German economy.  There are three other terminals but if you start screwing with docking/refueling....it just invents more pressure.

Blanket Technology

 

For a couple of years, as I continued to review the idea of E-cars....one of the ten problems I always came back to....was the loss of battery power in harsh winter months.

Then this morning....I read this piece.

Some PhD guy/gal eventually realized that if you blanketed the car....it'd help to preserve 'power'.

The odds of this being an electric blanket eventually....costing you 20 Euro a week to keep your car 'warm' in harsh winters?  Well....I might see this as possible.

But if this makes sense....why not invent a RV blanket, or a house blanket?  

26 Jan 2024: Twelve German News Stories

 1.  Weather guy is suggesting winds from the Sahara are arriving to the west coast of France, and this warm wind (with sand mix) will come to Germany in the next couple of days....extremely warm temperatures predicted for several days.

2.  455 voting stations in Berlin are in serious preparation for the repeat of the 2021 federal election....which got goofed up (the court system ordered a repeat).

What the parties say...oddly enough....it's a whole new theme for this election, with different promises.  

Date?  11 Feb 2024.  

3.   Federal Office of Statistics says....population of Germany has grown to 84.7-million.

4.  If you make money in Germany off E-Bay....the data of funds exchanged....will flow to the German tax office.  Starts end of January.

Yeah, there's probably over 10,000 Germans who make a regular income off sales via E-Bay, and this is going to crimp their profit model.

5.  I was reading a piece over the cost of driver's license training.  Since Covid, it's gone up....so at the very minimum....it's 2,000 Euro (in the more rural areas), and in most cases....it'll range from 3,000 to 4,000 Euro. Fair chunk of money.

6.  Thuringia region....the new immigrant charge card 'test' is being engaged.  It used to be that you got pocket-money in cash.  It's now a charge-card.

Well...in the first 135 cases, where the card was issued.....roughly 92 declined it, and in 35 cases....the applicant actually packed up and left...indicating they were going somewhere the card was not mandated.  

7.  This thesis scandal accused against Alice Weidel (AfD Party)?  After a long survey, the college said there were a couple of citation errors, but nothing worthily of removing the degree for plagiarism.  

8.   New political survey in Saxony....for fall election.  AfD leads with 35-percent of the vote....Linke/FDP will not make enough to earn seats.

9.  NTV report....for 2023, each German employed averaged 20 days of sick-leave being used (record level).

10.  Just a rather odd thing about this Russian military IL-76 plane that crashed about two days ago....with the claim that there were Ukrainian POWs onboard.  You see...what is now said....is that the plane is typically ONLY for use for Russian military VIP travel.  

Yeah, no believes the POW story now, and that a couple of Russian commanders were probably onboard.

11. Odd trend brought up in German real estate news.  To beat the debt 'brake' law....more and more apartments  are being rented as partially or fully furnished.  They figure  out of each three apartments now on the market....one will be partially/fully furnished.

12. Leading off the prime-time news of both ARD/ZDF (public TV) last night....a  independent research team brought in by the Evangelical Church of Germany (EKD) concluded a study on abuse within the church.

Over the years....at least 2,225 people affected with 1,259 suspected perpetrators.

The end?  Well....no, it begs more questions.  Lot of people think that they barely found the iceberg and that more people will come forward now.  

25 Jan 2024: Eleven German News Stories

 1.  Just an odd piece/commentary in WELT....written by Nathalle Weldenfeld....entitled "From migration to sex education, how we take back AfD's issues'. 

It's a basic commentary how the various political parties (CDU, SPD, Greens, etc) should take pieces of AfD's issues and reclaim 'interest' (even if it was fake interest).

To be honest....some folks have been suggesting this for several years, and it goes nowhere.  

It's worth a read....in Wed's WELT.

2.  Berlin judge handed down a ruling on ownership of a villa in the city....belonging to the Remmo 'crime-family'.  Judge says....since the money was all illegal in the purchase....the city has the right to take the property. I would imagine this will anger the crime family a good bit.

3.  Discover Airways (owned by Lufthansa) is on strike.  It's mostly a airline built for tourist industry....cheap flights around Europe.

4. If you are a subscriber to Netflix in Germany....'RAW' (the WWE wrestling show) is coming as a hyped-up show.  

5.  N-TV news from yesterday....headline: "China is experimenting with a deadly Corona variant". 

Germans will be hyped-up....affects brain activity and suggested to be 100-percent fatal.....but so far, only experimented in lab mice.  Called GX_P2V virus at present. 

I'm guessing some German PhD folks will figure out a nicer name for it....maybe Covid II?

6.  Some odd BS story out of France....Macron in a speech Wed....says that there needs to be a time limit...per kid....on video games. 

Actually....I'm shocked he said instead it of German SPD Party executives.   

7.  ARD public forum show (public TV)....'Hart Aber Fair'.....has had a number of weeks of low ratings (last quarter of 2023).  So they say (executives within the network)....they are revamping the way the show works.

Note, they aren't firing the moderator (Klamroth).

The commentary says next Monday night (1st episode of 2024)....the show will be 'different'.

On public forum status....I'd rank this show number one for information discussions....until 2023.  They retired the old moderator...Plasberg in January 2023.  

The old format?  It was mostly a discussion between a moderator and five guests who knew something about the issue....sometimes having no political status or news media status.  That was the part I appreciated. 

Since then?  From the episodes I've watched....it seems molded into some fashion to be a mouthpiece to whatever Klamroth is supporting or giving more support to.  He is leading you to a belief....not letting the guests dump information on you.  

It is a primetime slot that 'Hart Aber Fair' holds....so if they can't draw an audience....it'll likely get dump.  Just odd...its been around since 2007.  Odds of Klamroth is gone by summer-vacation season?  Well....you just wonder how much the network is attached to the format and viewership.  

8.  Some evidence that German kids are using ChatGPT in schools now for homework.  Some serious worry going on....if misuse will screw-up the system, and you end up with stupid kids who can't pass tests.

9.  Refugees in Germany are slowly being pushed to accept a bank-card for payments (instead of cash).  Administrators of the system are happy.....some users are not happy.  It's in a test phase presently....around 790 'customer' going down this path.

10.  Odd weather pattern.....it's a 18-degree (C) temperature difference for my house over the past week.....heating up to 12 C (53 F) today.  Virtually all the snow and ice gone.  Weather  guy is talking up how it'll be this way for a minimum of fifteen days.

11.  Unusual short story late yesterday....from Reuters.  The European Central Bank asked some banks to monitor social media for "early signs of bank runs". 

Note, they didn't ask all banks in the EU.

What the deal might be?  If you pay attention to Chinese industry, commerce  and banking failures over 2023.....just a lot of frustrated Chinese who had money in the banks, and now cannot take the money out. 

I suspect that the ECB folks are now realizing that some banks in the EU (without saying their names) are particularly weak, and if you had some money-guru or Instagram influencer suggest taking your money out....it'd  trigger a panic among a lot of people....even those who have money in 'safe' banks.  Yeah, making them more skeptical than they should be.

Why All The Anti-Right Extremist Demonstrations Lately?

 About a month ago....a news media group (not a common or generally recognized one) came out with more 'chatter' going against the AfD Party (the far right guys).

About that time, with enthusiasm pumped up by the normal parties (CDU, SPD, Greens, Linke, etc), and hype from the public TV crowd....the anti-right demonstrations went into turbo mode.

Do the three state elections slated for the fall figure into this as well? Oh yes.

In the three elections....AfD is slated to win 30-percent or more of the vote, but is frankly in a crappy position to form a government.  What the CDU, SPD and Greens wish for......AfD loses a quarter or more of their votes....making it easier for the CDU to form a government in the three states.

Is there any proof that the voters are distancing themselves from AfD?  Marginally so.

If the opposition really wanted to dismantle AfD's 'magnetism'?  Well....you'd do something about the deportation issue.  Somehow, you'd crank up a fix to get 240-odd thousand folks to exit the country because of the failed asylum paperwork.

I'm not saying this is wasted effort with the hundred-thousand folks showing up to demonstrate against AfD....it's just that the core of voters who support AfD.....aren't really paying attention to the demonstration or the public TV message/brand/theme.

More of the demonstrations to continue?  I would imagine all the way to September....it will be this way, and people mostly shocked that it really didn't change much.

24 Jan 24: Five German News Stories

 1.  FYI, there are three ages that alcohol consumption is legal:

- Age 18....any booze or hard alcohol.

- Age 16....beer and wine.

- Age 14....when with the parents in a cafe or restaurant.....beer and wine.

So I noticed that there's going to be an inside-Germany effort to erase/delete the age-14 rule.  To be honest, it's the only member of the EU who has the age-14 rule.  

2.  German steel production is noted at the lowest level of the past 14 years.

3.  6-day strike underway on the Bahn/railway.  Basically, if you were on some business trip and failed to leave 'early'....either you fly out or you stay until Tuesday morning.

On public anger/frustration?  I'd say that it's growing and some people are extremely angry because this was the primary way they got to some urban center job.  

4.  On the amount of hype from last night on the US state of New Hampshire primary?  Both ARD and ZDF (public TV networks) spent a fair amount of time hyping it and the overwhelming support of Haley to win.

5.  There is a organization called the 'Saxony Monitor'.....which goes out into Saxony (the state) and polls public feelings on various topics (yearly).

So the newest polling...indicates that folks in this state consider their economic condition 'fairly-good' or 'really-good'.  But the poll also indicates a growing skepticism of news. Two-thirds of those polled...say there are too many foreigners in the state.

Saxony is a eastern state, and probably had a long era during the DDR era without many non-Germans.  Around 60k Ukrainians live in Saxony temporarily now, because of the war.

23 Jan 2024: Five German News Stories

 1.  AfD's 'boss' has said one of their new agenda items.....they promise to push for a 'Dexit'....meaning a referendum for the public to say they want to be in the EU or out of the EU.

BS?  Back in 1957....Germany signed the original EU Treaty, with six partners.  The Bundestag voted and based on that....entry was accomplished.  The public was never asked.   

So....lets ask the stupid question...if you went to the public today....would the overwhelming number vote to stay or exit?  I think the vote would go 85-percent to stay, and only around 15-percent to leave.  

However, if you asked...is the EU doing a lot of stupid crap....yeah, that would be a 'yes' at around 60-percent.  But they have no real reason to leave.

Just odd that they would bring this up.

2.  WELT piece from yesterday....1.5-million Germans are considered alcoholics.  More than in previous years.  In their numbers....it's 2-to-1 men to women.

Alot out of 84 million in population?  Not really....someone has to be drinking all this freaking wine and beer produced.  Just in my village, I would imagine at least forty alcoholics....mostly drinking out of their living room or patio.

3.  Thorsten Jungholt wrote a interesting piece for WELT yesterday....basically suggesting from the original modern-and-professional army that Russia had...nothing much remains at this point. 

"Defacto destroyed" is the quote he uses.

I tend to agree.  Even if Putin had some rebuilding idea in his mind.....it'd take more than three decades to get such a thing organized and accomplished.

4.  This 6-day train strike business (starts Wed).....is generating a lot of chatter.  If it doesn't change the position of the Bahn?  I'd suggest that by the 7th of Feb....they will probably come back with a 7-day strike.

Personally, it's driving home the idea of halting in-country air travel in Germany.....to a complete halt.  

5.  Meeting from yesterday with the sixteen state representatives and the Bahn.....the 49-Euro monthly go-anywhere ticket.....will stay at 49-Euro for the remainder of 2024.  

Odds in 2025?  Most people suggest that it'll have to go up....speculation  is 59-Euro in 2025.

22 Jan 2024: Nine German News Stories

 1.  Piece out of Focus yesterday....talked over Green Party chatter and the 2025 election business....in particular....who they would  run as the Chancellor candidate.  Some Greens now believe that Habeck (the vice-Chancellor presently and highly popular)....is a magnet for negativity. 

Running an alternate?  I really can't think of any Green Party member with the talent to communicate....like Habeck does.  But I suspect if you asked a hundred working-class Germans....vast majority would prefer he NOT be the Chancellor.

2.  Over 30 German cities (in arctic weather) held  protests against the far-right yesterday (Sunday). 

3.  If you can find a copy of Sunday's WELT....great commentary by Harald Martenstein....topic: "Anyone who constantly pursues politics against the majority is heading towards the abyss".

He makes a great case that SPD could 'destroy' AfD pursuit of public support....by simply going the route of regulated/limited  migration. 

Excellent commentary and worth a read if you can find the  paper.

4. According to the German federal statistics.....7-million Germans get a pension of 1,250 Euro a month, or less.  Frankly....it's marginally enough to  live off.

5. With the passage of the new German citizenship law in late 2023.....if you hold a visa and meet the requirements (adjusted to less time now)....you can walk in and claim German citizenship.

Well...I read though a piece yesterday saying that for 2024...there's around 1.5 million Turks in Germany who will meet the conditions to go from Turks-with-a-visa....to Turk-German citizens.  

Odds of them ever going back?  They might visit the relatives but I'm pretty sure that 99-percent are fairly happy and would avoid moving back 'home'.

6.  Bahn union folks are talking about a train strike...starting Wed of this week....going for six days.  

Lot of sticking points between the union and the Bahn.  One key point....Bahn wants to retain the 38 work-hour week....union wants a 35 hour week.  If this were to occur....Bahn would be forced to hire more employees and have more cost on benefits.

7. WELT piece this AM.....467 Germans have gone through the court system and established 'damage' after the vax-shot.  

8.  There's a discussion underway (politically) about the German Army accepting non-Germans.  Beginning stages, but I would imagine by the end of 2024....some process will exist, and somewhere in 2025....the first 10,000 non-Germans will be in the Bundeswehr.  

9. Caren Miosga Show....replacing the Anne Will public forum Show (Sunday, 9:45 PM) came into being last night.  First show guest/topic?  Merz, 'boss' of the CDU Party. Great portion of this show (20 min) was a one-on-one chat.

What Really Happens If The Far-Right AfD Party Is Banned?

 This goes down the path of Article 18 of the Basic Law (German Constitution)....where an authority would stand and say that forfeiture of rights to exist as a party would occur....mostly because you threatened one of seven basic rights in Germany.  

There would be a legal challenge (done in a matter of weeks) and the Constitutional Court have stand and stamp the forfeiture approved (or thrown out).

So, here's the key issues:

1.  Three eastern state election occur this year and presently....the AfD is slated to take 30-percent (or more)....thus were slated to win.  What happens to the 30-percent?  

There are three beliefs....the 30-percent folks could stay at home....the 30-percent folks could take over another party....or the 30-percent folks would just vote for an alternate candidate (not the CDU, Greens, or SPD).  

In the 2019 Sachsen state election for example....a total of 26 parties were registered and people voted under.  In the final week prior to the election....the banned AfD could stand up and announce that all members should go to X-party and vote for them.  

2.  More discussion would occur over the one key core point which brings voters to the AfD....immigration.

By banning AfD...more talk than ever would startup over social media.  I'm not saying it's a good thing or bad thing....just that whatever you banned....doesn't just go away easily.

3.  Finally, someone will go back to these seven key things that you can't really voice negativity over, and start to eyeball the SPD, CDU or Greens....over efforts to evolve or change these things. 

Yeah, the AfD folks would then say....why can't you ban the SPD or CDU?  Just messing with Article 5....Freedom of Assembly....would generate more ban talk...against the obvious good guys.

This ban-chatter now a top five discussion topic?  Yes, and it doesn't seem to be evolving. 

Polling Chatter

 INSA, the polling people....did a national survey, and included the new BSW Party in their group (first time, at a national poll):

CDU/CSU: 30 percent

AfD: 22 percent

SPD: 13 percent (lowest level ever)

Greens: 13 percent

BSW: 7 percent 

FDP: 5 percent 

Linke/Left Party: 3 percent 

Free voters: 3 percent 

Where BSW took voters?  Mostly Linke/Left and SPD.  If you asked me on where this will go?  I'd say that BSW will max at less than 10-percent. I also don't think anyone from the AfD will find logic or reason to associate with BSW.   

I also think the Free Voter Party has a chance to go up two or three points over 2024.  

The other new party? WerteUnion?  Now in polls yet....they will attract both AfD and CDU/CSU voters....which I think by the fall of 2025....they might be in the 7-to-10 percent range.  

Just a lot of disgruntled German voters.  

3rd Essay Over Political Position Of New BWS Party (Peace)

 This is the third of three essays over the general platform/positions of the new political party....Alliance Sahra Wagenknecht Party (BWS).  Topic?  Peace.

You can view the topic in full detail here.

The third area...entitled....'Peace'....really discusses increasing cooperation, showing sovereignty and avoiding chaos.

So there's a lot of talk over détente, and cooperation with neighbors.

There's a blunt statement there: "We fundamentally reject the solution of conflicts using military means."

Improving cash flow for the Bundeswehr?  No, and that 2-percent goal that Trump talks about will be written off.

They intend to flush the military hardware money into kid's education, tech development and healthcare.

 Any support for military deployments elsewhere in Europe?  No....actual wording to say that's totally out.

Then there's this odd statement: "Europe needs a stable security architecture, which in the longer term should also include Russia."  

A paragraph for self-determination and avoiding US relationships?  Yeah....they inserted that into the political agenda.

Selling this to conservative German voters?  No....it won't sell well as a brand.  If you were a former Linke Party or liberal left voter?  Yeah....it works in that case.  

In case they were in some coalition....I'd see manpower for the Bundeswehr decreased by 50-percent.  

My TV Viewing

To be honest, with the yearly World Economic Forum crap in Davos....I rarely watch more than 10 minutes of total coverage.

This week, I watched an extended piece....where the Bloomberg Channel host Francine Lacqua got around to asking folks at the Forum (last night) about how things would go when/if Donald Trump returned to power.

So she turned to David Rubenstein, the guy heading up the Carlyle Group (big-time into  private equity).....asking if there was some way to Trump-proof an economy.

I was shaking my head....it was a stupid question and literally no answer possible.

Rubenstein responds in a funny way....if he could invent such a system....he'd market it and sell it.  

The next fifteen minutes went the same way with other panel folks.

It just seems like these folks spend the bulk of their day....worrying and fretting over Trump....with little else going on.  The fact that a major recession is currently screwing up things around the globe?  Almost unnoticed.  

After a while....I flipped the channel over 'Jungle-Camp'....to get some real entertainment.

20 Jan 2024: Three German News Stories

 1.  Demo scheduled in Berlin for the weekend....truckers this time.  Their complaint?  Higher toll fees and limited parking for evening rest.  Just in Berlin....the warning is about 1,500 truckers will be around the city.

2. Curious piece written for WELT by Julien Reitzenstein, entitled: "Like 1933? This is how much “Weimar” really lies in Germany’s current crisis." (Opinion piece, fair amount of history written into it).  Recommend a read if you can find the newspaper.

The thing is.....if you 'chop' up all the various problems, woes and emergencies....the general public of Germany is in some daze, and the political system isn't able to resolve the mess.

3.  There were some Last Generation activists engaged in shutting down the Sylt Airport....back last summer.  Well....the prosecutor has wrapped up his investigation, and will be bringing charges. 

Second Analysis Over BWS Party

 This is the second of three essays over the general platform/positions of the new political party....Alliance Sahra Wagenknecht Party (BWS).

Main topic today? Social justice. (Note, all positions taken from their web-site)

Increased solidarity, opportunities and social pensions. 

So they lead  off with inequality.....which I agree....most Germans whine about this a good bit.  Lot of pro-family chatter and how things are uncertain these days.

Concentration of wealth?  It gets brought up. The necessity of food banks is emphasized.

Dumping on the pension program?  Absolutely, and Germans will all talk about this problem.

A good quote in the middle of this platform: "Our goal is a fair, meritocratic society with real equal opportunities and a high level of social security. A highly productive economy needs qualified and motivated employees."

Pro-union?  Yes.

Emphasis?  Well....they talk about a fair tax system....so they suggest lesser taxes for the working-class, and more taxes for the 'rich private individuals'.  

Problems?  Well....most of what they talk about requires more tax revenue.  Some talk is devoted to flipping the tax program, and going after companies and wealthy individuals. This is the scenario that France attempted two decades ago, and a fair number of wealthy individuals exited the country.

There's no doubt that the pension-class of Germany is suffering and they will likely go to support the BWS Party in the end.  But to reach this new  high level of social security....you'd have to raise the basic price level of services and products....meaning....you won't be as competitive as you pretend that is your top goal.

Just looking at this stance....tax revenue would have to evolve to a new level.  

The Petite Threat

 Over the past three months, there's just been a lot of chatter across Europe (and the US) over the 'magnificent' threat that Russia (really just Putin) poses.   'Leaks' are now almost a daily thing.....this week, some Swedish 'leak' came to portray the great evil facing Sweden....with Putin's army.

From day one of the Ukraine-Russia war....I've sat and watched various videos of combat action....probably over 700 hours worth.  I've come to note four obvious things:

1.  On training and preparation for combat....there's no doubt that Russia has done a 1-star job, and set a bunch of Russian men on a short-path to doom and death.  It does make me ponder....all that hyped-up stuff of the 1980s/1990s....was all like this and full-up BS?

2.  In the beginning off the war, you saw a lot of 10-to-20 year old military hardware for the Russians.  About 12 months into the war....the video scene changed, and you began to see more 30-to-40 year old military hardware (T-72s for the most part).  Depot guys were probably pretty busy in pulling the retired tanks out and preparing them.

About six months ago, I noticed two heavily damaged Russian T-62 tanks....which would have been produced throughout the 1960s.  Offering protection?  Well....not that much against anti-tank weapons designed for the modern era.

3.  About once a month, you see some wheeling and dealing by Russian officials....trying to get hardware from China or North Korea or Iran.  It just begs the question....can't they produce anything on their own?  The answer?  If you said you wanted 3,000 tanks....I doubt that the Russian system could go into a production cycle and have the final tank produced....by year fifteen.     

4.  Finally....to the issue....as each month passed and nothing much accomplished....are there any lessons learned for the Russian military?  You just don't get much of an impression.  It's like a bunch of fake generals walked around and just looked good in uniform.  

So I'm going to say the obvious thing....the Russians have weakened themselves to the point that they can't really threaten Europe for the next couple of decades.  

I doubt that Putin will admit this.

All this European leak-crap?  Just BS?  Yeah.  Maybe if they'd never invaded the Ukraine, and still had the modern era equipment....the threat would be realistic.  

19 Jan 2024: Nine German News Stories

 1.  BMW chief said gas/diesel car enthusiasm will peak shortly, with Germans flipping for E-cars.

He has to believe in this idea, but if you walked around working-class Germans....that enthusiasm is still years away.  All car makers are in deep debt off the research and development.....they need this to take off.  

2.  Some kind of NATO meeting in Brussels held...talk goes to an idea that they will hustle up 90,000 NATO troops....for a Feb exercise....to show strength against Russia.  

Chatter that this is the largest NATO exercise since the end of WW II?  You know....they say this, but there were some massive exercises in the 1970s/1980s....so I think that talk is mostly BS.

I would imagine almost a third of this will be US Army/Air Force.  

Anyone's guess where play-region will be....but I'm guessing Poland.  

3.  Halfway between Munich and Nuremberg...lies the town of Greding (town of 7k residents).  ONE single disco in town.

Apparently, over the past weekend....a couple of guys walked in....did the 'foreigner out' chatter and disturbed a number of folks at the disco.  Based on a couple of videos of the scene....state security has started up an investigation.  

If they can identify people?  Well....with the video, you could end up with a hate-speech situation.  

I don't know the demographics of Greding....but I doubt if it's more than 10-percent non-Germans in town, and mostly Turks in that group.

4.  Farmer strikes/demonstrations likely to continue?  Yeah.  It would appear little movement is occurring with the SPD-coalition.  

5.  Tonight....'Jungle Camp #17' opens up on RTL TV.  Yeah, Germans are hyped up for prime reality TV.

It is BS-TV but considering your options....it might be a choice of this or watching some South Korean zombie series off Netflix.  

6.  EU chatting up on a new draft rule.....max you can use to pay for something in cash....to be set to 10,000 Euro.

If you asked a hundred Germans.....I doubt if you can find more than one-percent who've ever gone and settled on a purchase of something legal....paying in excess of 10,000. For most folks, it'll have little  to no effect.  

7.  News starting up on lawsuits to occur against the Health Ministry over Covid masks and their delivery (stalled payment). This goes back 2020/2021.  

Could be into several hundred million at the end....if the Ministry has been found at fault.  Note: this was Merkel's crew running things when it occurred.

8.  Some German study done....saying that in 2024....at present rates....E-cars are cheaper to drive (and recharge) than gas-run cars.....as long as you recharge at home.  The study says the difference is presently 50-percent (better) with E-cars.

I should note, in virtually every year....electrical rates bump up a notch.  Presently, with the new gas tax in affect  (added 4-cents onto each liter)....the study is probably true.  

9.  Back in 2001, the 'Shoe of Manatu' was released, and considered one of the top grossing movies in Germany of all time.  I tend to rate the movie as a good laugh.  This AM....'Bully' Habig (writer,  director, actor in the movie) has said he'll start  production of Shoe of Manatu II this year.  

Eight Facts Over German Elections

 1.  The Basic Law (the German Constitution) says that the election of the federal assembly....will occur on a four year basis....unless the gov't coalition fails (rarely happens).

2.  The Basic Law mandates that members of the Bundestag are elected in "general, direct, free, equal and secret elections". 

3.  For the federal election....age 18 is the minimum age to vote. 

4.  Half of the folks of the Bundestag are directly elected from Germany’s 299 districts or constituencies.  2nd half?  From the sixteen states.

5.  You vote in two fashions....first vote, voters elect their local representatives to the Bundestag.  2nd vote?  It's for the party list or choice.

6.   As a party to hold seats.....you need 5-percent of the public voting....to get representation.  If you were to get 4.9-percent?  You get nothing.

7.  Winner in the election has to hold 50-percent control of seats.  If you don't have that.....you get a month to form a coalition.  Failing on that....the 2nd place winner gets a month to try and achieve results.  Just because you win.....doesn't really mean you will control the government.

8.  Monthly pay of a Bundestag member?  It's currently at 10,591 Euro (a month).

Position of the New BWS Party?

 This is the first of three essays over the general platform/positions of the new political party....Alliance Sahra Wagenknecht Party (BWS).

Main topic today?  Economics and commerce.

The party leads off with a emphasis on innovation, education and better infrastructure.

Current conditions of infrastructure (in their mind)?  Crappy.  Blame on the train network and time. Getting health appointments takes weeks, if not months.  Thousands of positions are missing for kindergarten.

They do go and blame large companies for blocking smaller or medium-sized companies from growing. 

So their  positions are a 'innovative economy'....built on safe jobs, a fair tax structure,  an emphasis on the working class, with friendly competition.  

Then they go to a curious 'talk'...."Blind activism and ill-conceived measures do not help the climate, but they endanger our economic substance, make people's lives more expensive and undermine public acceptance of sensible climate protection measures." (direct statement from  their web site)

They avoid saying the answers....which is obvious.  This is broke, but we avoid talking about how we'd fix it.

Issues?  I'd say four key points.

1. Everyone agrees that infrastructure is a problem, but no one wants to pay for the tax revenue required (into the tens of billions more per year).

2.  All this innovation help talk? It leads to a need for more tax revenue.

3.  Everything they talk about....connects back to the middle-class, and likely seen as a positive.

4. The climate crowd will be forced to the table to prove their solutions are necessary or have 'pay-back', and I doubt that they pro-BWS.

Tomorrows topic?  Social justice.

18 Jan 2024: Eight German Stories

 1.  Robert Habeck, the Economic Minister (Vice-Chancellor, and Green Party member)....did a speech and basically said that the whole 'thrust' of the AfD Party (right-wing) is in some way to make Germany into a Russia-like state/country.

I would  suggest one odd thing....on the Ukraine-Russia war....they've (AfD) come to various positions that the war should end, and Russia isn't the 'bad-guy'.   

2.  New Forsa poll done on  politics in Germany.  SPD (left-of-center) has fallen to 13-percent (if there were an election today).  CDU (right-of-center) is placed at 31-percent of polling.

3.  Ice conditions from mid-day at Frankfurt has prevented take-offs.  The Bahn folks cancelled all ICE trains from Frankfurt to Paris, and Paris to Stuttgart.

Locally?  I had about quarter inch of sleet around my village.  

4. More chatter came up about the Sharia (Islamic) rules effort from that German school in Neuss (NW Germany).  Apparently the students were (4 of them) were all young men (ages 17, 18, and 19).

In their effort to 'take-charge' of the classroom....they were hyping up 'stoning' as a effort to sell punishment.  

Anything illegal about the effort to sell their 'brand' in the school?  No.  Police were correct, in that no one has ever crafted a law like this over religion in schools....nor do I think they want to take that on.

The problem I see....this discussion pushes public perception in a negative way, and helps AfD motivate the public in a negative way. 

Ethnic background of the four?  Unknown.  I personally doubt that they are Turks.  

5.  Pretty harsh talk yesterday by Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Söder on chopping up the public broadcaster system (both TV and radio).

First, Söder says that between ARD/ZDF.....amount of entertainment programs ought to be reduced because they aren't part of the written core mission (information).  

Second, he wants SAT3 an d ARTE merged into one network.  I don't argue about this....both are geared for high culture.

One, Alpha or Tagesschau24?  Cut entirely.  ONE is basically ARD....just an hour or two later with the same shows.  Tagesschau24 is basically news clips....run one after another.  

All of this because of the increasing cost of the media TV?  Yeah.

If you were to sit around a group of working-class Germans....most would whine over the cost level and limited use of public TV and radio.  My son would admit for over 20 years....he's not watched a single hour of public TV. 

6.  Arnold Schwarzenegger flew into Munich yesterday....on his way to Austria, and a charity dinner.  So he gets into the customs exit area and is halted.  Friendly at first....they go through his bag and find a premium watch that was to be auctioned off for the charity.   His value put upon it?  20,000 Euro.  

Yeah, he hadn't declared it....so they went to criminal paperwork and will be taxing the the watch.  It was a three-hour delay and there were some critical comments by Arnold over German customs.

7.  Tuesday night....the 'boss' of the Green Party (Lang) was a guest of the Lanz public forum show (ZDF).  Lanz can ask stupid but blunt questions.....so he brought up pensions in Germany....then he asked how the Greens viewed the current situation.  Lang had no idea what Germans get for a pension, but suggested it was in the 2,000 Euro range.  

Well....no, that's not the amount.  Men typically collect  1,370 Euro a month, and women average around 1,150 Euro. Nothing near 2,000 Euro (at least on average).

This was a big goof on Lang's part.

8.  Just an odd report....since 2011....Germany has added 584,000 public service jobs to the nation (local, state, federal).

All total in public service?  4.8-million out of 84-million in population.

54-percent of the added new  jobs....went to local-level requirements.

The Coalition Matter

I'm often fascinated by the German model of building goverment coalitions....where two or three parties are  forced into a partnership....to lead a state or the nation itself.

So.....a matter left over from the weekend....INSA did a poll and it shows that in the Thurginia and Brandenburg state elections (in the fall).....presently, no gov't coalition is possible without either connecting to the AfD or the new Alliance Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW) Party.  

The fact that AfD is likely ahead of all other parties in either state....does NOT mean that they will win and form a coalition.  If no one wishes to partner-up....the 2nd  place winner gets the chance....in this case....the CDU.  However....with the numbers now showing....the CDU would be forced to partner with the BSW Party.

The fact that the CDU leans right-of-center and the BSW folks are on both sides of left and right?  Yeah, this is hard to imagine how this coalition talk would go. 

Legalization of Cannabis/Weed In Germany Starting 1 April 2024?

 Yes.

Decriminalization of weed/cannabis, along with legal home cultivation and possession....all legal at that point.

Do I think much will change?  No.

From 2022 numbers....there were already around 6-million Germans using some form of medical-cannabis (legally).  From collected numbers....with the age group of 18-to-25....it's suggested that around 50-percent of this group use recreational cannabis. 

The only change I coming out of this....dealers will have a problem in existing....unless they market themselves into a shop of some type, and go legit.

17 Jan 2024: Nine German News Stories

 1.  For the record, if you counted all residents of Germany....those without a migrant background....ONLY make up around 71-percent of the 84-million in population.

Yes, 59.3-million German-only residents.  

Just the medical system  alone....if you went to a massive deportation concept...would collapse overnight because of a lack of nursing/support staff.  

If you went to bus-drivers, bar personnel, industry....it's a mess if you really went to some far view of deportation.  

2. In the past couple of days....the Frankfurt train station finally completed their massive surveillance camera system.  From planning stages to today....six years spent because of delays and legal challenges.

Around the station....cops generally report an average of 10,000 crimes a year.  So there is a massive amount of belief that the camera system will lessen the number.

3.  Interesting piece written by Julie Ruhs for Focus.  Topic?  “Left-green infested - I experience first hand how people think about ARD and ZDF."

Ruhs is an employee of the public TV system, and generally surprised at the number of Germans who are skeptical of the news presented.

I'll just say that the level today in Germany of people being skeptical....is probably at a all-time level.  I would suggest more than half the population....when presented some story or narrative....have some initial doubt about the validity or reliability of the story.  This has been gradually building up.

4.  Interview given by CDU Party 'boss' (Merz).....saying that the time of just plain ignoring the AfD Party (far-right).....has come to pass, and it's wrong to ignore them at this point.

Whether this chatter matters or not....unknown.  If he goes to an attack format....the topic of deportations will come up and he can't easily produce evidence that the CDU can do much to effect change. 

5.  I read a business piece over the weekend....concerning E-Bikes.  Apparently, from the Covid-era....huge increase in E-Bike interest popped up.  Shops have finally peaked.....warehouses are now overloaded, and the purchasing price of a typical E-Bike is dropping (more than 10-percent....some suggest).  I've seen some examples of what was a 1,200 Euro bike (on the low-end) now priced in the 750-to-800 Euro range.  

6. Lot of snow/ice predictions for today.  Mostly for southern half of the country.  In the Pfalz, Bavaria and Baden-Wurttemberg regions....probably two feet of snow predicted.  Massive arctic front predicted as it ends....at least 4 days of freezing weather.

7.  Just odd....around 24 hours after Baden-Wurttemberg (the southern state of Germany) gave a warning not to use much electricity off the grid for Monday morning for a couple of hours....now comes on Tuesday a new 'warning'.

Because of extreme conditions expected from Wed to Sun....they are now giving 'black-out' tips.

I'd say on the reassuring 'index' (1-to-10).....I'd be feeling this is a '3' at best.

For those folks  who have a heat-pump heating the house and using a fair amount of power for it to warm things?  This is bunch of crap on black-out advice.

8.   For anyone who has watched the 8 PM ARD news show “Tagesschau”.....an update today came up.

One of the more popular news folks from the show....Judith Rakers...has given notice to quit the show (end of January.

In her late 40s....she indicated that she's going onto some type of private/commercial TV production project.

Curious....she's been on the 8 AM show at least once or twice a week, for almost 18 years.  

9.  Some report in the Tuesday news...indicating that across Germany....around 910,000 social-support or welfare housing units/apartments are 'missing'. If you go back to prior to 1990.....a lot of cities had such units, and turmoil was arising because the income being brought into the system....wasn't adequate to update or renovate the massive structure across Germany.  

So everyone from the local level to the federal level agreed....it'd be best to let the units go from city-run hands....to a commercial  ownership, and somehow....they'd renovate things.  That....more or less...failed.

What Really Happens If The AfD Party Is Banned?

 Well....this goes to Article 18 in the German Constitution....which says if you threaten a couple of key 'rights'.....you are banned from participating as a party in German politics (even down to the local level).

One of the 'rights' mentioned in '18'....is the right to asylum.  It's an odd wording.  To be honest, it's simply a right to apply for asylum....it's NOT a right to guarantee asylum.  You could have ten folks apply (different countries, different reasons, different background), and five would pass, with five failing (meaning a deportation notice).  

On this level, I'd say that if pushed to the Constitutional Court to toss the AfD Party....they would pull out the text and look at the gut-AfD Party-supporters, and tell them the text is not meaningful and can't be meaning guaranteed asylum into Germany.  

A second view?  Lets say the Court says 'fine'....you can ban AfD. 

What happens then?  The party dissolves....it's members look around and figure the next party to take over.  My humble view is that they'd join the BWS Party (run by former Linke Party player....Sahra Wagenknecht.  Members (paying to be such) would then take over the party and Wagenknecht would be given a choice to support the agenda or be voted out.

Whether there's time to ban the BWS folks?  Unknown.  You'd be working against the 2024 schedule....with three key elections in the fall.

If BWS was dissolved next....the group would then go and membership-up with another minor party. 

It's a crazy way of running things, but this minor party business makes for interesting scenarios like this in Germany.

I'm not pro or anti AfD.....but you usually can't go far in politics with a one-topic agenda.  They've beaten the system....getting almost a decade now....just hyping one single topic.   

German National ID Cards

 From age 16 on....it's mandated that you have a ID on your person.  Cost of ID's prior to age 24....52 Euro (good for 6 years).

After age 24?  The fee for the card is 67 Euro (good for 10 years).

If you are on welfare status?  You apply at the welfare office for the cost of the picture and fee....getting paid for the mandatory action.

As for getting the card before 16?  Yes, you can present the kid with documentation even at age 6, and get a card.

Card works in place of a passport throughout Europe?  Yes, true.

Card absolutely mandated to be on your person?  More or less.  If the police stop you and ask for an ID...if you respond that it's in your purse at home.....they probably will put you in the police-car and take you to the house for a confirmation.  

Cost of a regular passport?  101 Euro presently.  

16 Jan 2024: Nine German News Stories

 1.  Huge anti-right demo from Sunday in Berlin/Potsdam....cops figure tens of thousands showed up for the anti-AfD Party demonstration.

2.  Ministry of Transportation is discussing a draft law....mandating turn-signals on bicycles.  You'd be given x-amount of time to correct/add a blinker.  

3.  There's a word I've seen thrown about here in Germany over the past year or two....'Gratismentalität'.

Translating it?  Well...it comes say 'free mentality'.  I know...it makes little sense.

It has this meaning that people want things to be 'free' or heavily discounted.  A good example?  From 2022....that 9-Euro-a-month Bahn ticket, where you could ride the bus/train network anywhere in Germany....with one monthly ticket of nine Euro.  It was a 'free gift' by the government....but in the reality of things....it  was not free, it had a cost involved (it was paid by tax revenue).

At least once or twice a week....I'll hear this uttered or read it somewhere.

4.  There was a creation of a citizen's committee to advise the SPD-coalition gov't on new laws.  Yeah, in a way....letting people think of things instead of politicians.

So three interesting suggestions  out there:

 - A age mandate for high-energy drinks of 16.  Just about everyone believes there's too much caffeine/sugar in the high-energy drinks....but age limits should start where?

 - Zero VAT (tax) on healthy foods?  Yeah, they put that suggestion up.  How you'd classify these is beyond me.

 - Adding more inspection personnel for food safety inspections.  

5.  The state of Baden-Wurttemberg has come out and given a warning....try to avoid using electricity as much as possible because of the arctic-like conditions going on, and the grid is near 'full-use'.  

That bad?  December was an odd month where the temperature throughout Germany was moderate...meaning...really not that cold.  But in the past seven days...it's gone to the extreme end of the scale.

6.  Sunday night was a rare night....public TV offered up two full prime-time hours of handball championship (from here in Germany), and commercial TV offered up NFL action.

Over the past couple of years....it's surprising how many Germany are into both sports now.

7.  Odd story via Focus.....a military expert came out and said that Russia in some way has desires to invade Europe....suggesting that Germany has 2 to 3 years to prepare for this eventual outcome.  

I read the whole  piece....marginally agreeing.  It isn't that Germany needs to take huge steps....it's just that for three decades....they've been on the attitude that the Cold War was finished and lets not waste money on tanks or rockets.  

To be honest, Russia's military hardware inventory has been heavily carved off because of the Ukrainians.  I suspect...even if they had such a stupid desire....they'd have to wait at least thirty to forty years before they can replenish the inventory of theirs.

8.  Odd accident at a 'Last Generation' protest/blockade.  Vehicle driver losing patience did  some wide turn....driving up over the sidewalk....hitting a Green Party politician and a journalist who were there on the sidewalk watching things unfold.

9.  Lufthansa has said...over the next 2 years, it wants to hire 13,000 MORE employees (pilots, crew, maintenance, management, It, etc).  Where they will find the bodies?  Unknown....crisis of some sort exists in Germany with limited number of people to fill vacant slots.  

Article 18 Chatter

 From the Basic Law, Germany's Constitution....Article 18 has come up a bit in the past week.  

What this concerns?  There is a movement to disqualify the AfD Party (far-right) from elections.

The text of Article 18?

Whoever abuses the freedom of expression, in particular the freedom of the press (paragraph (1) of Article 5), the freedom of teaching (paragraph (3) of Article 5), the freedom of assembly (Article 8), the freedom of association (Article 9), the privacy of correspondence, posts and telecommunications (Article 10), the rights of property (Article 14) or the right of asylum (Article 16a) in order to combat the free democratic basic order shall forfeit these basic rights. This forfeiture and its extent shall be declared by the Federal Constitutional Court.

A big deal?  Presently, polls say that AfD has around 20-to-22 percent of the public vote.  So that group....into several million voters will be disgruntled to an extreme  level, and will probably hunt a new political party to take over or control.  Remember....originally....AfD was not a anti-migrant party.  

If AfD wanted to really throw folks for loop?  They should say there's a right  to asylum, and a right to deportation....linking the two.  The Court would then be forced to consider that asylum isn't a guaranteed thing.

Machiavellianism?

 I had to look up a word today....Machiavellianism.

So the meaning?  It is a personality trait that basically says you have an agenda (whether legit or not), using some type of manipulation (as necessary) and this in the end....will give you the ability to control or gain power.

Yeah, it's probably not a good trait.  I don't think there's much of a rehab for you...if you got it.

15 Jan 2024: Five German News Stories

 1.  Currently in Germany....25-year mortgage loan running 3.74-percent.  5-year mortgage loan running 3.36-percent.  

2.  Just odd, from Saturday evening....Anna Ermakova, daughter of Boris Becker, and hyped-up for the past six months via commercial German TV show 'Lets Dance'....was brought out to a public ARD TV show.....entitled “Schlagerchampions”.

Appearance?  Well....to sing a debut song....“Behind Blue Eyes”.  

I'll just say the crowd wasn't that thrilled and limited applause.  On singing talent, I'd give her average scores.  

Just odd on difference between commercial TV trend, and public TV trend.

3.  INSA polling.  Currently, Germans satisfied with the SPD, Green, and FDP coalition....at 17-percent (extremely low).  

INSA poll on top party, if a vote were to occur now?  CDU/CSU would win, with 30-percent of the vote.  SPD would only get 15-percent.  

4. Monday AM....massive farmer protest scheduled for Berlin.  Streets and entry points are expected to be blocked off.

5.  State of Bavaria admits a manpower shortage of 200,000 personnel (to fill all current and apprentice positions).  That's how ridiculous the employment scene is developing at present.  

This also explains national chatter of refusing to hand out welfare or 'Citizens-Geld'....to those who refuse a job, if the Job-Center finds one for you.  

14 Jan 2024: Five German News Stories

 1.  Interesting piece from Focus yesterday.....chatter starting up in Germany that enthusiasm has peaked on E-cars.  

I could have predicted that three years ago.  Even under this 'mandate' that exist (2030)....any party that is anchoring itself down to enforcing this....is finished by the 2029 federal election.

2.  'Remigration' term is coming up a good bit in German news chatter.

Meaning?  Right-wing  elements are talking about the idea that even if you are safe (holding a visa or having gained citizenship)....it's possible that political events might be pushed to the limit....forcing you to leave.  Yeah, it does sound very much like stuff from the 1930s.

This is also dragging up the idea of banning the AfD Party from  political processes.

3.  For reference, the Sunday night ARD (public TV) live public forum (9:45 PM) of the Anne Will Show.....has ended.  It'll be replaced on 21 Jan with the Caren Miosga Show.

Whether anything changes or evolves?  Anyone's guess.  I tend to rate the Anne Will Show 4-star at least on trying to explain a major topic or situation developing within Germany. Of the six-odd public forum shows....I'd rank at the highest level.

4.  Weird piece out of Focus.....out of Neuss (town in NW Germany).  School authorities around Christmas ended up calling the police.

Issue?  Group of students....had formed some type of “Sharia police”...trying to instill culture of Islamic law.  

This went to the level of trying to have segregation of genders, a prayer room, and attempting to push head coverings for the young ladies of the school.

 Focus piece here.

So far, from what the cops have gotten out of the students/their parents....nothing related to a criminal act.

I would imagine that the police have told the school administration to 'take' charge and render the push null, and void.   No one says ages here....so it does make me wonder if these were 10-to-12 year old kids.  

5.  Tuesday (upcoming week), there will be a vote in the Bundestag over deportation changes....to failed asylum folks.  Votes are expected to be there...to pass it.

New package?  In the past, if you were on the deportation list and got the notice of you must exit....there was a 10-day period for the legal system/police to act, and put you on a plane.  If they failed.....by the 10th day....the paperwork was null-and-void....meaning they had to restart things from scratch (releasing you).  New period is 30 days.

Another part of the deal....in the past, you got legal representation after the 'failure' of your asylum application.   In the new law, as long as you had legal representation prior to the submission.....you are not deemed to get it a 2nd time  around.  So they are denying you a legal guy.  Constitutional?  Well....it seems  like that this would be accepted as legal.

Being able to search rooms in a refugee center, other than the guy's that they are trying to deport?  Yes, that change is in the  law as well.

False passport issues?  That will now get you on a banned list without much discussion.

Asylum applicants who commit multiple minor crimes within a twelve month period?  Deportation goes to a easier step.  

Asylum, if you are showing anti-Semitic, sexist or racist behavior?  Exit door occurs quickly.

Looking over the list....at least for a year, the public will give the new law a chance to correct the problem of deportation.  I doubt that it has that much impact or solves much of the problem.  Most countries probably aren't willing to accept you back from your little adventure.  

What Does BurgerGeld or Welfare In Germany Pay?

 Six levels (as of 2024):

Standard needs level 1(Single people/single-parent): 502 Euro per person

Standard needs level 2 (Couples): 451 Euro per person

Standard needs level 3 (adults in some type of institution, per person: 402 Euro

Standard needs level 3-plus (non-employed adults, under age 25, living in the parents house): 402 Euro per person

Standard needs level 4 (teenagers, age 14 to 17), 420 Euro per person

Standard needs level 5 (kids age 6 to 13), 348 Euro per person

Standard needs level 6 (kid up to 5), 318 Euro per person

A-I Chatter

 About every six months, I'll notice some article or discussion in Germany....on how Artificial Intelligence (A-I) is coming sooner or later to the Bahn (railway).

The basic idea?  You'd arrange a AI program to 'drive' trains.

Coming anytime shortly?  No. In fact, it's probably a 2040 concept by the time they finish up testing and sign off on this.

To infuriate current railway 'drivers'?  Oh yes.

But here's the thing...when this eventually arrives....you can imagine a two-year period when half the German railway 'drivers' are given their papers and shown the front-door.  In fact, the more they talk about reduced hours....getting themselves down to 35 man-hours a week....the more it's going to help in bringing A-I to replace them.

What a ex-train-driver does next?  Unknown, and it might be curious to watch this unfold.

The odds by 2050....only ten-percent of the railway driver numbers of today exist?  I'd give it overwhelming numbers.

How Many German Men Never Returned From WW I?

 There are two methods of counting the German losses of WW I:

1.  You can count deaths via combat, with missing-in-action....coming to around 1.8-million men.

2.  You can count deaths via non-combat (meaning disease or accidents), mixed with combat deaths, and missing-in-action....coming to around 2.03-million men.

Just for the record, when you come to early spring 1918...the losses had reached a point where another draft would not be possible, and political bickering....if pressed, probably would have opened the door to upheaval throughout Germany.

12 Jan 2024: Five German News Stories

 1.  Interesting shift on medical care cost in Germany.  From Zeit.

To resolve the deficit in public health insurance companies, Lauterbach (the Minister of Health) says that homeopathy should no longer be funded.

This alternative method of healthcare....has generally been around since the late 1700s.  I would suggest that about 10-percent of German has some belief in it.  Scientifically speaking.....the problem is....you can't establish any facts to say it works, or it doesn't work.

I would imagine over the next year....a number of cost cuts will be generated.

2.  Farmer demonstration in Frankfurt.  Police report around 1,500 tractors/trucks.

3.  Interesting poll by N-TV....three state elections slated for eastern Germany in the fall.  Saxony, Brandenburg, and Thuringia.

Numbers show clear wins for AfD (far-right) Party.  New BWS Party....currently does not show 5-percent or more.....meaning no seats, if this comes  true.

4. RTL (commercial German TV) ran a 90-minute news piece....talking about why Germany has so many 'woes' going on.  Title: “Exposed - What's going wrong in Germany?”.

Discussion?  It basically talks over the shortage of craftsman and apprentice folks,  bureaucracy within the federal government agenda, a lack of rules/enforcement and a decaying national infrastructure.

The one theme driven throughout the piece (I was kinda surprised)....Germany used to be a place where problem-solvers ran the show and fixed things.  The problem-solvers seem to have gone the way of the dinosaurs.

The key theme that struck me?  If you have some problem around house....like a leaking roof, electrical issues or a plumbing problem.....you could be talking about four to eight weeks to get a German craftsman out for a 1-hour problem.  Don't even bring up a telephone or line issue....with those guys, it might be two months before they show up.  

If you want 14 or 15 year old German kids to sign up for apprentice training....you literally need a 'coach' who pushes the kid daily to develop mature behavior, and want to achieve craftsmanship-status in three years.

5.  Tegal Airport....one of the three big airports of Berlin back in the 'glory days' (before 2000)....had this one unique feature....no subway connection brought  people into or out of the airport.  It was a bus-only situation.

I noticed this week (course, Tegal is on the list to be fully closed and torn down)....that the city finally approved a tram-situation....to bring people up to the edge of the old airport.  Schedule?  Nothing to say it'll be done in 2025 or 2026.  

Even up to 2019....it was still regarded as the 4th biggest airport of Germany....right before closure.

What is to happen with Tegal?  Mostly still unknown.